Film & TV
 Alibi V.21 No.21 • May 24-30, 2012 
Aww, Would you convict that face?

Film Review

Bernie

Crime comedy gives Jack Black his best role in years. Too bad the movie isn’t better.

It's hard to reconcile Richard Linklater, the young-turk auteur who gave us 1991’s Gen-X manifesto Slacker, with Richard Linklater, the movie industry vet (Fast Food Nation, The School of Rock, Bad News Bears) who delivers Jack Black's latest: a pleasantly quirky crime comedy called Bernie. Not that Bernie represents any sort of sad, corporate sellout on the part of Linklater. It’s just that aside from the inclusion of fellow Austinite Matthew McConaughey (who worked with Linklater on Dazed & Confused and The Newton Boys), Bernie isn’t recognizable as something from Linklater’s résumé.

Idiot Box

You’re Outta Here!

The Canceled Shows of 2012

The broadcast networks have already started showing off their shiny new fall schedules. That means, of course, the conspicuous absence of several shows you may or may not have liked. Yup, the ax has fallen, and a whole host of network shows have been canceled. Some escaped by the skin of their teeth. (ABC’s low-rated but highly regarded “Cougar Town” is moving to TBS in 2013.) Others emerged battered and beaten. (Fan-fave “Community” will return next season. For a truncated 13 episode run. On Friday nights. Paired with “Whitney.” Also, creator Dan Harmon was told to take a hike.) So which shows are gone, gone, gone?

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Reel World

Reel World

Broadway Meets Bollywood

The South Broadway Cultural Center is hosting a three-day Bollywood film festival to benefit Peacecraft, the fair trade craft store in Nob Hill. On Friday, May 25, the show starts with Satyajit Ray’s 1964 romantic drama Charulata: The Lonely Wife at 7 p.m. On Saturday, it’s the 2009 road trip comedy Three Idiots at 2 p.m. followed by another Satyajit Ray film, the 1966 movie industry drama Nayak: The Hero at 7 p.m. Things close out on Sunday with the 2010 drama My Name is Khan, about an Indian Muslim with Asperger’s who embarks on a cross-country journey to speak with President Obama. That one begins at 2 p.m. Cost of each showing is $8 per person.

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Week in Sloth

The Week in Sloth

Highlights from around the dial. Except no one has dials anymore.